Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Remote Meetings Law topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State law extends option for remote public meetings through March 31, 2025; Norfolk County holds meeting remotely
Summary
At the start of the Norfolk County meeting commissioners noted Governor Healey signed Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, which, together with Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 30A, §20, extends the option for remote public meetings through March 31, 2025; county director said the legislature is considering longer-term fixes.
The Norfolk County Commission began its Jan. 8 meeting noting that Governor Maura Healey signed Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, and that the action, together with Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 30A, §20 as read at the meeting, extends the option for public bodies to hold remote meetings through March 31, 2025.
The commission held the Jan. 8 meeting remotely and opened by informing participants of the legal extension. Later in the meeting County Director John Cronin told commissioners the legislature is examining whether to memorialize remote participation rules in statute or to extend the executive-order approach; he said the existing remote-participation statute is more limited than current practice and that the legislature is evaluating readiness across Massachusetts’ 351 cities and towns.
Why it matters: The extension preserves the option to conduct public meetings remotely through March 31, 2025, sustaining practices county officials said have improved public access. County staff said they will follow legislative developments and report back to the commission if the state adopts a permanent statutory change or another extension.
Provenance: Opening announcement referencing Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023 and Mass. Gen. Laws ch.30A §20 (timecode ~00:00:04 to 00:00:59) and follow-up discussion by County Director John Cronin about legislative options (timecode ~00:41:26 to 00:42:01).
